Gina hurried toward them just then, her expression thrilled. "Look, Helen! This ruby… Its hue is better than every gem I've seen at the expo! Gosh, how much would it sell for—""Mom!" Helen snapped angrily. "Could you not mess around with something so precious? We're sending that back!""What?! No!" Gina flinched, hugging the box in reflex as she stared at Helen in disbelief. "Your name is on the box, so it's clearly meant for you! Why would you send it back?!"Helen shook her head. "It's too valuable. I can't accept it."Gina rolled her eyes at her insufferable daughter. "It's someone's sincerity! How could you reject it?!"She would not be sending it back either way!Cindy agreed. "Just take it, Helen. It's a gift from Mr. Lawrence's family, wishing you the best for your marriage with him."Helen turned to Frank instead. "You should send it back. I'd rather not owe such a huge favor…"Judging from every word Frank had said earlier, Frank was clearly on bad terms with his fami
Seeing that Frank was ready to hurry past her to chase down Winter, Vicky strode to the side and stopped him.Then, puffing her fair chest, she continued to interrogate him.Just then, a yawning Helen emerged in her pajamas. "Who was it, Frank?"Still, she was at once alert when she saw Vicky at the door, their eyes meeting with a dangerous, cracking spark."No way!" Vicky growled through her teeth."Yes way." Helen puffed her chest, smiling proudly."I don't believe you!" Vicky snapped, though she appeared dejected."Believe what you want!" Helen stood akimbo beside Frank, asserting dominance.Vicky was wheezing and glaring hostilely. "I'm surprised you can go that far, Helen—I'll give you that!""You flatter me." Helen smiled victoriously as she leaned against Frank."Stop it!" Frank had enough even as both women sandwiched him and stopped the confrontation.Sighing exasperatedly, he turned to Vicky. "You haven't had breakfast, have you? Come in and eat. Madam Zims made br
Mona called out, "Wait for me, Winter…"As her voice faded into the distance, Helen and Vicky's were staring coolly at Frank."She's a martial elite I met in Southdam. I took her in as Winter's bodyguard," Frank replied."Who's a bodyguard…? Wait, is everyone gone already?" Kiki asked as she left her room.There were dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was a mess—she clearly did not sleep much last night.Helen was left gaping as Kiki showed up before turning toward Frank in disbelief.He braced himself as he explained, "She's Kiki Moss. She's staying here to hide from the Soranos.""Hello, I'm Kiki!" Kiki flashed a professional smile at Helen.Helen remained silent before asking quietly, "How many other women are staying here, Frank?""She's the last one," Frank quickly assured her.However, that was when Frida Blue also left her room, nodding at Vicky in greeting. "Hi Ms. Turnbull. I've made a full recovery, so I can return to work now."She then did a double take wh
Vicky raised a brow, her meaning all too clear.Frank said quietly in turn, "Anyway, I helped Bravo Lambert reclaim a plot of land that his gang rented to the Salazars. The Salazars built a factory over it, and their precision machinery for producing pharmaceutical products is still in there.""Really?" Vicky's eyes lit up."Exactly. After we took back the land, I rented the factory from Bravo, so I'm going to—""Aha! I expect nothing less from my head of pharmaceutical research." Vicky cut him short."So? How much is Bravo asking for? I'm taking everything," she said, adding with a wink. "You'd get a twenty percent revenue cut too.""No," Frank shook his head. "I intend to sell the factory to Helen and Lane Holdings.""What?!" Vicky sprang to her feet before sighing in disappointment. "I see—I get it now. I still have work to do, so I'll be going."Frank caught her wrist before she could leave, frowning, "I'm not finished.""What's there to say now?" Vicky chuckled, repressin
Helen nodded. "I agreed. I'd rather not put Frank on the spot."With that, the two girlbosses of Riverton shared the factory Frank repurposed from the Salazars.Further details were up to those two—it would not be Frank's business either way.-At noon, Randall Young was sitting in his jewelry store at Riverton's Square Street, holding up a magnifying glass as he studied a bright ruby. After a long while, he breathed a long sigh and put away the magnifying glass.Then, looking up at the girl standing opposite him, he cleared his throat. "Well, the luster and form rank it among the best of the best—it's a ruby fit for Talnam royalty. So, would you mind telling me where you got it from?"Naturally, Cindy was the one standing opposite Randall.She brought him the ruby that Fenton delivered, though she shook her head in hesitation. "It's a gift. I can't say.""You can't say…" Randall breathed a long sigh and shook his head. "Ma'am, I'm actually afraid to buy this from you because
Cindy finished, "You can trust Randall Young even if you don't believe me, right, Aunt Gina?""Frank Lawrence!" Gina shrieked right then. "You lied to me! I thought you'd finally come around, but you're just tricking me with some glass orb! No, I can't let him take Helen away like this. I'll take this up with him. He could kill me in front of Helen if he wants!"After her rant, Gina hung up, while Cindy smiled greedily and passed Randall the ruby. "500 million it is!"-In the evening, Frank finally had Helen and Vicky agree about the factory.Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, however, his phone started ringing."Hello?" Frank asked, and heard wheezing from the other end."Hello?!" he pressed, his voice louder this time. Mona finally answered just then. "Frank! Winter and I are being chased on campus! No—!"The call was cut off with Mona's scream."Mona?! Mona?!" Frank shouted, but his only answer was static beeping."What's wrong, Frank?" Vicky, who had just made
Frank drove at top speed to Riverton University, arriving in under fifteen minutes when it would normally take half an hour.He narrowed his eyes as he immediately spotted the ambulances at the gates, feeling a foreboding sensation right then.He rushed toward it and found paramedics tending to several students, each bleeding all over their faces.Thankfully, he did not recognize any of them.Then, as he started toward the campus building, a girl suddenly appeared and got in his way. "Hey, stop! The cops have already set up a police line—no one's allowed in!"They were both surprised when they saw each other's faces, since the girl was none other than Winter's best friend, Jean Zims. "Frank?!" She appeared stunned."What happened here, Jean?!" Frank asked, repressing his panic as much as he could."I don't know—a bunch of black-clad men suddenly charged into the campus," Jean cried urgently, tugging on Frank's sleeves. "They hurt the security and kept shouting for Winter, but
A young man wearing a white suit and clearly appeared rich was laughing in front of the building. "Hahaha! Come out, beautiful, or you'll be burned alive!"He was still holding the torch that ignited the gasoline poured around the building. His eyes flashed with wild excitement as he watched the cinders danced, even as his crotch started swelling!-Meanwhile, Mona was pulling Winter as they ran along up on the fifth floor, hiding in an empty classroom and coughing violently because of the smoke surrounding them."Just leave me, Mona! Run!" Winter pushed Mona off, trying to get her to flee alone.There was no doubt that Mona would have gotten past those black-clad men's encirclement if she were alone. Winter certainly knew that Mona was kept inside this building because of her.On the other hand, Mona was cursing under her breath. "Shit. I was just wondering why they weren't coming after us… They're setting fire to the whole building! That brat's really crazy!"Then, pursing her
Frank snorted. "Alright, I'm hanging up. I'm getting started over here soon.""Yeah. Good luck," Jouri replied.Hanging up, Frank looked up at the waterfall overhead, and then at Skyler, who was standing beside him. "So? Is it time yet?""Almost… Now!" Skyler's eyes were glowing even as she stared at her watch."Alright."Frank looked up just as the skies abruptly darkened. "Ah, there it is—the eclipse."The sun seemed to disappear, and the world was suddenly shrouded in darknesses.And beside him, a stone door imbued with the power of the spiritron vein also rumbled as it parted."Got it!" Frank rushed inside without another word as soon as he saw it."Hmph. I'm surprised that you could reach this place." A cold, wrathful voice resounded inside even before Frank got a hold of his surroundings.Looking up, Frank found a youth in a black cossack and sporting grey-white hair, standing upon a cliff as he looked down on him.Frank chuckled. "Hehe. Like I said, I've come to kill
Frank narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?'Crane shrugged. "I don't mind giving it to you straight—members of Torrent are actually… Ahem. A part of Torrent himself."Frank paused. "What's that supposed to mean?""You don't get it, do you?" Crane grinned. "Then let me put it to you this way—every member is a clone of Torrent.""A clone?" Frank gasped in realization."Yes," Crane nodded. "That's why I believe that challenging Crane is just suicide. You have no idea how powerful he is—only death awaits you down that path."Frank smirked. "Oh, but I don't think so."Crane rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever—now listen closely. You will find Torrent in the Mystic Trail, but you would only find that place when the sun and moon coincide, and the entrance is beneath the waterfall south of Horton."As he finished, he snorted coldly. "I have no idea if you can actually do it, but I'm hoping you do kill him… Heh. I'm getting tired of being stuck under his control for so long."Then, waving off
Frank abruptly turned, immediately noticing one of the Cranes crouching, ready to spring forward and blindside him."Got you!" He laughed."Hah! You fell for it!"Just as Frank swung a punch to pulverize that Crane, he suddenly burst into pus that splashed at Frank's face."Damn it!" Frank took a step back, surprised that the clone's presence was identical to the real Crane, and a trap on top of that!"Die!"The Cranes around him each whipped out a dagger, all of them stabbing at Frank at the same time."Get off!" Frank bellowed, unleashing a shockwave that sent all the Cranes flying across all directions."Frank! Above you!" Skyler suddenly shrieked."Yes! I'm right here!" A strange laughter sounded above Frank just as he wiped the pus off his face.Crane was suddenly directly above him, launching an aerial kick straight at Frank's head, and Frank had no time to dodge!"Die!" Crane's smile curled into a twisted angle as he saw that too.He was very confident with this kick
"Disgusting…" Skyler murmured through her hand.Despite being skinned and scalped, the women were all still alive and singing to the music that was playing despite their anguish."Talk about a terrible fetish."Frank was scowling too—why were all the members of Torrent such sick deviants? It seemed like his plan to wipe them out was absolutely correct!"So, you killed my clone?"The lanky man on the couch slowly turned to level his bloodshot eyes at Frank.His lips were wet with bed as they curled upward into an eerie smile."Clone?" Frank narrowed his eyes."Hehe. It's a sage art."Crane shrugged as he stood up and wiped the blood off his lips. "It's only natural that you don't understand… Still, you deserve praise. If you can kill my clone, that means you're not just slightly stronger than Ghost."Naturally, the man was none other than the real Crane.Still, as Skyler studied him from a corner, even she could notice the strange twitch of his fingers, and his veins were pro
Even as Crane ran, he was looking over his shoulder, his heart pounding. "No… I won't win in a one-on-one!"No, as long as I get back to my real body… we can do this together!" He frowned, having seen how Frank sliced off the pinkies of those hood rats. It hence quickly dawned on him that Frank was not just slightly stronger than Ghost, as Torrent had put it!"Almost there!" He gasped when he saw the signboard of Pegasus Showtown in the distance. "As long as I get there and rendezvous with my real body, that brat will lose—"That was when he turned and saw that a shadow had caught up with impossible speed."What?!" Crane's eyes almost popped out in bewilderment. "What speed is that?! Are you kidding—"Even as he spotted the shadow, the shadow turned into a youth with an impassive visage.His fist outstretched, he was clearly punching toward Crane's forehead!"Argh…"Even as Crane looked on, the youth's punch slowed down by tenfold, but his fist kept closing in.Then, whe
Seeing Skyler sigh, the tattooed thug presumed that his extortion worked.He strode up, grabbing Frank's shoulder. "No one's gonna help you, boy. Pay up, or you're not leaving.""Exactly! You're not getting away!" the crowd of hood rats hollered. "Last chance."Frank's eyes were cold and fixed on Dani, however. "Are you going to intervene? If you do, you can keep that check. If you don't…""Ugh. Fuck off! I don't care!" Dani spat, her expression smug as she folded her arms before her chest. "Who do you think you are to threaten me?!""Exactly! Pay up, and you can leave!""Yeah! Ten grand, at least!""You probably don't know my boss Wyvern, but when he's here, you won't get away with just ten grand!"Even as the crowd closed in, Frank shook his head. "Well, you had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next.""You're giving us a chance?! Hah! Who—argh!"Even before Dani could finish gloating, Frank was suddenly in front of her, grabbing her viciously by the wrist."Arg
"Five grand?! Did you hear that?! He just threw five grand!""Must be a rich kid coming here for a secret rendezvous, out of prying eyes? Those types are the easiest mark!""Fuck! And Dani got one of us… It hurts me more than losing at the races!"Frank could hear the buzz around him but ignored it as he strode past the men flanking him and headed toward the street that stank of blood."Stop!" A big tattooed man grinned sinisterly as he intercepted Frank.As his buddies encircled Frank as well, Frank snorted—it seemed that they took his reaction for a sign of weakness and thought that he could be cowed.The tattooed man rubbed his chin as he leered at Skyler's voluptuous figure, chuckling. "Look, boy. I'm short on cash, so let me take a loan. I'll pay you back some other day, how about that?"His friend laughed. "Exactly! You just gave Dani five grand, and we won't ask for more… just four, how about that?"Skyler scowled in turn and glanced worriedly at Frank beside her—was he
Frank himself had just stepped out of the nightclub when his eyes narrowed."Blood," he murmured, his nostrils twitching."Blood?"Skyler sniffed the air, puzzled. "I can't smell it.""It's from the opposite street… I smell the blood of over a dozen people.""A dozen?!" Skyler did a double take.He could identify the number of people who were killed?! That was just ridiculous!"Come on, let's take a look."Just as Frank led the way toward the source of the stench, a woman suddenly came up, catching Frank off guard and throwing herself into his arms."Hmmm?" He looked down to see that she had thick makeup, average looks, and a rather pudgy belly."Argh! He touched me!" she pointed at Frank and shrieked even before he realized what was happening."What?!" Skyler was staring at the woman too, mystified."Oh, sister! You just didn't see it!"The woman kept hollering, pointing at Frank's face. "Your boyfriend grabbed my ass! Is that how you teach him manners?!""Teach him ma
Wyvern screamed even as he clutched the stump that was his hand, screaming so shrilly one might mistake his voice as inhuman."Oh, just shut up." The lanky man glowered and launched a kick, reducing Wyvern into puddles of blood and pieces of innards, splattering all around the lobby. "Argh!!!" the devilish lady screamed as she watched the carnage unfolded."Another sound, and you'd end up just like him." The lanky man turned and frowned at her impatiently."Hngh…" The devilish lady promptly clasped a hand over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as she trembled."What the hell?!"Outside, Wyvern's lackeys heard the screams and ran inside, looking for him. "Hey, where's Wyvern?!"However, the lobby was too dimly lit for them to notice the blood and guts scattered around the walls, and they only sensed that terrible stench."Hngh…" The devilish lady was too scared to speak, and tears trickled out of her eyes."Fuck!"One of the lackeys strode up and seized the lanky man